Heat control apparatus



Odi 10,1939- I'. c. JENNINGS A 2,176,001

'HEAT CONTROL APPARATUS Oct. l0, 1939. l, c, JENNlNGs 176,001

HEAT coNT'RoL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 10, 1939. l. c. JENNINGS v 2 176,001

HEAT CONTROL APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 28, 1935 Vigan/fm @fw-ww. l f/ -v Patented Oct. l0, 1939 UNITE-o STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for regulating and controlling -the temperature within a dwelling house or other building. The heat loss of a building varies not only with the outside 5' temperature but also with the construction of the building, the direction and velocity' of the wind,

the prevalence of sunshine, snow or rain, whether the outer walls are/wet or dry, and whether there is daylight or darkness. Any heat control apparatus which does not take these varying conditions into account may fail to meet the actual requirements by as much as twenty-ve or thirt percent.

- It is the general object of my invention to provide heat-control apparatus-which will maintain a practically constant predetermined temperature within a vbuilding and 'which will avoid either overheating or under heating under widely varying outside conditions.

A more speciiic object of my invention is to provide apparatus which will automatically select and maintain steam pressures which will balance the actual heatloss of a building under varying outside temperature and Weather conditions, and which will be thereby effective to maintain apredetermined Atemperature within said building.

My invention further relates to arrangments and combinations"a of parts which-will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 1 A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improved heat-control apparatus, together with a 35? partial section of a building wall;

Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation, taken along the lines 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail en d elevation, vlooking in the 40 direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

rection of the arrow 4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view, looking inthe direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 1; y Fig. 6`i a sectional view, taken along the curved line 6--6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view oi a-heating system embodying my improvements, and

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, I Will rst' describe my improved heat-control apparatus, generally designated A. In Fig. 1 I have shown a casing Ill securedto the inner face of an outside wall W ofna dwelling house or other building. The casing I is surrounded with a thick layer I I oi heat- Fig. 4 is a detaillend view, looking in the diinsulating material which may be enclosed by an outer metal' cover I2.

'I'he space within the casing I6 isseparated by a partition Il into two chambers I and I6.V The chamber I5, which may be termed the reference 5 chamber, is provided with a heating coil or resistfance I'l and a thermostat I8 which may be of any usual construction.

The thermostat and coil cooperate vto maintain a constant temperature in the chamber or coml0 partment I5 and the heavy heat-insulating layer II makes the temperature condition within the chamber I5 practically independent oi the room temperature in which the device is located.

Any desired temperature may be maintained 154 in the chamber I5 but the thermostat 'is commonly set to maintain a temperature slightly above the desired temperature to be maintained in the building. The partition Il is of such material and thickness -that only a slow transfer of heat between the chambers I5 and I6 can take place. g

The outer side of the chamber I6, which may be termed' the control chamber, is preferably closed by a thin metal plate 20 having openings 25 2l therein. The casing I0 and plate 20 may be secured to the inner face of the outer wall W by screws 22. A suitable gasket 23 may be interposed between the plate 20 and the wall W.

Holes 25 are provided in the outer wall W in y30 alignment with the openings 2l in the plate 2,3.

The chamber I6 is thus insulated from the inside of the building and is directly exposed to weather conditions at the outside of the building.

Discs 21 (Figs. 1 and 5) are provided with dif- 35 ferent sized openings 28 or'no opening which may be selectively brought into alignment with the `openings 25 through the wall.

The control chamber I6 contains a circuitshifting apparatus which is thermostatically'con- 40 trolled. The exact construction of this mechanism may be widely varied but in the drawings I have shown a bi-metal spiral spring 3B (Figs. 1 and 3) having one end secured to a fixed support by.a screw 3l and having its other end 45 secured fto a rotatable shaft 32 on which is mounted ahub 33 having a slightly resilient arm 34 (Eig. 4) which supports ahead 35, preferably formed of non-conducting material.

A spring plunger 36 (Fig. v1) is mounted in a to recess in the head 35 and engages a series of contact pilates 31, 31B, 31h, 3'lc and 31d (Figs. 2 and 6). The contact faces of the-plates 31 are preferably concave, as shown in Fig. 6, and the endo the plunger 36 is rounded so that the 55 plunger will always engage one of the plates 31 and will not remain on one of the narrow insulating strips 38 which separate the plates 31.

,A wire 40 is connected with the plunger 36 and a series of wires 4I, 4l, 4I", 4| and 4I"1 to the lplates :1.

' l0" and 20" and connected by the wires 4I, 4Ib,

4| and 4Il to my improved control apparatus indicated at A. I also show a high vacuum controller 44 and a low vacuum controller 45 for a vacuum and condensation return pump P. By way of illustration, I have shown my invention as used in a vacuum steam heating system. such a systemfbeing indicated in Figs. 'Z and 8. The disclosed heating system and its component parts form no part of my present invention, except as certain parts cooperate with my novel heat control apparatus A.

A brief statemnt of the operation of this heating system is presented in orderl that the application of my invention to the disclosed system may be more clearly understood.

Line wires L and L' are connected to a; stepdown transformer T and secondary wires 60 and 6| connect the transformer T to the heating coil.

or resistance I1 in the control apparatus A.

A branch wire 46 connects the wire 66 to the plunger 36 (Fig. 1) on the arm 34, which plunger is shown as having just advanced from the nohea contact point 31 to the contact, point 31* which corresponds to a 20" vacuum inthe heat.

,iield coil 664 acts to open or partially open the valve V.

The circuit is continued through the brush gear and commutatr of the motor M and through a wire 61 to the secondary return wire 6i which leads-back to the transformer T.

When this circuit is closed and rendered operative by engagement of the plunger 36 with the contact 31, the energizing of the field coil 66 causes the motor M to rotate in a direction to partiallyppen the valve V in the main steam line,

so that steam at a 20" vacuum will be provided The second side of the double pole switch 15 is connected to a Wire 16 which in turn is connected to a line wire in the magnetic starter S of the vacuum and condensation-return pump P.

The starter contl circuit is then complete, as the wire 1d is continuously connected to a second line wire in the starter S. The motor M and pump P will thus be started, and willcontinue to operate until the desired 20" vacuumv is attained on the supply side .of the heating system.

The pressure-controlled device associated with the mercury switch 42 (Fig. '1) then moves the switch to mid-position and thus stops the motor M. 2,

The pump P will continue to operate until the high vacuum controller 44 opens the double pole switch 45 associated therewith, which will ordinarily lbe at a little higher vacuum, say twentytwo inches. This gives a differential pressure of two inches of mercury or approximately one pound which is operative on the low pressure steam and causes the low pressure steam to have a positive circulation and to deliver mild' heat.

Ii the pressure in the supply side of the system now rises above twenty inches of vacuum, the mercury switch in the pressure-controlled device 42a will then be reversed, connecting the wire di through the wires and 6I, ield coil 82 and valve motor M to the wire 61 and secondary return wire 6l. The valve motor M will thus be operated reversely to partially close the valve V on. the supply side ofthe system.

If the plunger 36 (Fig. 1) in the control device A advances to engage the 10" vacuum contact 31h, the circuit will be similarly closed through the wire 4Ib and solenoid 84 to the pressure-controlled switch device 42h, and back through the wires 64 and 65, eld coil 66, motor M and wire 61 to the secondary return wirefbl, thus causing the motor M to rotate in a direction to further open the valve V and eiect a 10 vacuum.

Current through the solenoid 64 causes engagement of contacts 81 and 88 which aieconnected by branch wires 69 and l90 to the wires 13 and 14 in parallel with the contacts 1| and 12 in the 20" circuit. Engagement of the contacts 81 and 88 thus acts to complete the circuit between the high vacuum controller 44 and through the magnetic starter S for the pump P, which will then be operated as previously described, except that the motor M will be Astopped by the mercury switch of the pressure-controlled device 42h when a 10 vacuum is attained on the supply side of the system, but the pump P will continue to operate until shut off by the high vacuum controller 44 at the same high vacuum of 22" previously defined.

Ii' the plunger 36 advances to the 5" vacuum contact 31% a circuit is completed through the wire Mc to the pressure-controlled switch device 62, and back through the wires 64 and 65, ileld coil '66, motor M and wire 61 to the secondary return wire 6 l the motor thereupon being operated to further open the valve V and e'iect aI 5" vacuum. The valve motor M is stopped by the pressure-controlled device 42 on attainment of the desired 5" vacuum.

Similarly, engagement of the plunger 36 with the 1 lb. contact 31d completes the circuit through the wire d ld and pressure-controlled switch device 62d to operate the motor M and to further open the valve V to effect l lb. pressure in the supply line, and on reversal of the mercury switch of the device 32d for excess pressure on the supply side the field coil u2 is energized to reverse the motor' M.

When the plunger 36 is in engagement with contacts 31c and 31d, the magnetic starter S is also under the direct control of the low vacuum controller i5 and of the float switch control 92. A low vacuum (say ten inches) gives a suiilciently active circulation when the pressure on the supply side is not very much above or below atmospheric, which condition obtains when the plunger 36 is on one of the contacts 31c or 31d.

When the plunger 36 is in engagement with the contact 31 marked off, the circuit is complete through the wire 4l to the wire 8| and thence through the field coil 82, which then causes the motor M to operate to close the valve V. For a more complete description of the construction and operation of the heating system and thermostat-controlled, valveadjustii1g mechanism, reference is made to my copending application Serial No. 754,674, filed November 24, 1934.

The operation of my improved heat control apparatus is as follows:

The control chamber I6 of the heat-control apparatus A is held against the outer wall W and also communicated with the atmosphere through 1 the passage 25. The freedom of this communication may be varied Aby changing the setting of the disc 21. The temperature in the control chamber I6 thus responds directly to all variations in external weather or temperature conditions. The temperature of the chamber is also affected by the exchange `of heat with the reference chamber I5.

The invention aims to control the heat supplied to the building in proportion to the heat lost through the outside walls, so that the building will be maintained at constant temperature under varying conditions. When the wind blows harder or the walls become wet, more heat is required, even although the outside temperature has not changed.

The thermostat 30 responds to the temperature in the chamber I6 and varies the setting of the plunger 36 on the contact plate 31 in accordance with the demand for heat, as indicated by the temperature in the control chamber I6.

The heat control or heat regulation can thus'` be said to respond to the differential between the constant temperature in the reference chamber l5 and the actual temperature in the control chamber I6, corresponding to the external Weather and temperature conditions. As both chambers l5 and |6'are heavily heat-insulated, the apparatus is independent of local variations of temperature within the building.

In mild weather when the temperature in the control chamber I6 is only slightly less than that in the reference chamber I5, the plunger 36 will be in the o position the greater part of the time. As the severity of the weather or its unfavorable characteristics increase, increase in steam pressure-will be supplied.

While I have shown my invention in use to control heating' apparatus of the vacuum `type, the invention is not limited to any one type of heating apparatus and it may be used in pressure systems of steam heating or in hot air or hot water systems as well as in vacuum heating systems.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. Heat control apparatus effective to maintain a predetermined temperature within a building under varying outside weather conditions, which apparatus comprises a heat-insulated casing contained within the building and abutting an outside wall thereof, said casing having one interior chamber remote from said outside wall which is automatically maintained at a substantially constant temperature approximately equal to said predetermined temperature and having a second 4ing under varying outside weather conditions,

which apparatus comprises a heat-insulated casing contained within the building and abutting yan outside wall thereof, said casing having an enclosed air chamber maintained at substantially constant temperature and having a second and adjacent enclosed air chamber in which the temperature is responsive to outside weather and temperature conditions, means permitting restricted interchange of heat between said chambers, and heat control devices operated in accordance with changes in temperature at a predetermined point in said second chamber.

3. Heat control apparatus effective to maintain a predetermined temperature within a building under varying outside weather conditions, which apparatus comprises a heat-insulated casing contained within the building and abutting an outside wall thereof, said casing having an enclosed air chamber maintained at substantially constant temperature and having a second and adjacent enclosed air chamber in which the temperature is responsive to outside weather and temperature conditions, said air chambers being separated by a partition allowing a vslow heat exchange between said air chambers, and heat control devices operated in accordance with changes in temperature at a predetermined point in said second chamber.v

4. Heat control apparatus eective to maintain a predetermined temperature within a building under varying outside weather conditions which comprises a reference chamber within said building and automatically maintained at a substantially constant temperature approximately equal to said predetermined temperature, a control chamber exposed in part to outside weather conditions and adapted to be secured to the inside of an outer wall having openings therethrough. means permitting slow transfer of heat from said reference chamber to said control chamber, a thermostat located at a xed point in said control chamber, and heating apparatus for said building controlled by said thermostat.

v5. Heat control apparatus effective to maintain a predetermined temperature within a building under varying outside weather conditions which comprises `a heat-insulated casing' contained within the building and abutting an outside wall thereof, said casing containing a reference chamber automatically maintained at a substantially constant temperature approximately equal to said predetermined. temperature, an adjacent control chamber exposed in part to outside weather conditions and adapted -to be secured to the inside of an outer wall having openings therethrough, means to variably restrict said openings, means permitting slow transfer of heat from said reference chamber to said control chamber, a thermostat located at a fixed point in said control chamber, and heatingapparatus for said building controlled by said thermostat.

IRVING C. JENNINGB. 

